


To become what you hate

by Eve_Erin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dark Fantasy, F/M, Master/Slave, POV First Person, Rape/Non-con Elements, Stockholm Syndrome, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:42:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29671596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eve_Erin/pseuds/Eve_Erin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Medius, a vast, floating island of rock and dirt between Heaven and Hell.  
That is all everyone knows about their world.  
People lived on the top side of Medius; closer to the Gods. And in the centre of the land stood the city of Axis. These are the lucky few who lived in luxury because the Gods’ blessings reach them, they call themselves the Blessed and pride themselves with their ability to Pray – whereby them communicating with the Gods, they would be granted any material possession they desired; if they needed food, water, or any other necessity for life, they may simply pray; if they wanted gold, jewels, or any other luxuries, they may simply pray. There is no measure of wealth in Axis, and thus no jealousy, nor violence.   
Amongst the ordinary citizens of Axis, anyways.  
Axis is governed by its Council, and its only purpose: To maintain this utopia they created.   
The Council manipulates people through Religion, the only viable option when wealth became irrelevant. All citizens of Axis, including the Council, firmly believe in their Gods. They thought they are superior to the people outside Axis and anyone unable to pray, are Forsaken. Moreover, magic, an art which bypasses the Gods and far more powerful than any prayer, are banned in Axis.   
Few within Axis have knowledge about what exists outside their gate. For no one inside dared to venture into the barbaric unknown, and no one outside dared risk their life for god-knows-what awaits them within the city.   
Most people born in Axis inherently have the ability to successfully Pray, some, however, do not. It comes as no surprise the Council evicts every Forsaken they know. It is the only way to maintain their utopia.  
We would only incite jealousy and hatred in a group of people who already have everything, anyways.  
_____  
The Council might be faithful, but they most certainly are not stupid; their carefully calculated moves have maintained the utopia for hundreds of years. Their leader, usually the smartest of them all, command the invisible hand that guides Axis, the Council would brand him to be a holy figure, a communicator with Gods.  
You could see what problems it might bring if, say, a leader’s daughter turned out to be not only a Forsaken but one who is capable of magic as well.  
I once heard somewhere that ‘War will promote the development of civilizations’, I never understood it; what could slaughtering people possibly achieve?  
That sentence just ended up being yet another reason I detested the Forsaken.


	2. Chapter 2

I’ve been incarcerated in my home for more than three years, being alone for all that time, I was surprised myself I haven’t gone crazy yet.  
I could still remember that fateful night which changed my life; it was my 13th birthday, a grand occasion, of course, considering my status of being the leader’s daughter, the equivalent of a princess in other barbaric realms outside Axis. Almost all members of the Council came to my father’s mansion to congratulate me on my ‘first step to adulthood’. I never cared for their flattery, for I knew they weren’t genuine; they just wanted me to put in some good words to my father.  
Power became the rarest commodity when all other material possessions are abundant. And though most ordinary citizens couldn’t give less of a care about power, most of the Council does, including my father. I was thoroughly sick with their ingratiating, repulsive act. Still, I was forced to put up with it every day, for if I even remotely hindered my father, well, who knows what he would do to me.  
“Ah, Ms Erin, I must congratulate you, for not only were you born to such a prominent family, but you were also blessed with such a heavenly appearance, a priceless little thing you are! No amount of Prayers could ever give me a daughter even remotely as fine as you.” A Councilman spoke, in the most disgusting, fawning tone possible. This rascal was amongst the few people in the room I know of; one of the most libertine man there is in Axis, who rose to power in his youth after all his predecessors all died of unknown causes one after the other. In truth, most members of the Council probably knew of his deeds, but considering how he got his power, I doubt many people dared to even face him.  
“Why thank you, Councilman Stane, you flatter me too much. I am far from the perfect daughter you see me as, but I will be sure to take this opportunity to learn from you all today, so I may be ready to serve my father when I reach my adulthood.” I spoke as humbly as I could, suppressing every part of my body, so I don’t show contempt towards these people.  
“Well put, Ms Erin, the entirety of the Council is waiting to see your ‘performance’ when you come of age.”  
“Councilman Stane, would you allows for the rest of us to speak with dear Ms Erin as well? For it is appearing to us as if you’re starting to have indecent thoughts about our purest little angel.”  
“Of course, Councilman Gray. And I assure you, I will not act on those ‘indecent thoughts’ of mine. Until she reaches adulthood anyways.” He smiled mockingly. “Unfortunately for you, with your level of influence, you’re just going to be content at having those ‘indecent thoughts’.”  
Gray smirked coldly in response, before quietly walking away.  
When my father started allowing me to speak to the Council members at these events, I did not understand why I needed to be so humble towards these people. But as it turned out, my father is only the leader because he had gathered support from these people who shows up at these events, like Councilman Stane, whose influence and support allowed for my father to sit comfortably in his throne. And my job, according to my father, is ‘to keep these people content and happy, even if you have to use your body to do it.’. Thankfully, I didn’t have to resort to that yet, but at the same time, I knew, at one point, I’m going to have to do things far worse.  
In truth, rather these Councilmen are here to congratulate me, I’m here to flatter them, to keep them happy under my father’s grasp.  
*Clink… Clink…*  
The room immediately quieted down after hearing my father clinking his glass.  
“Council members, we gather here today to celebrate not only my daughter’s 13th birthday but also her coming of age. Such is an important step to her adulthood 3 years later, and to prepare her for it, I have arranged for her to witness one of the most important functions of the Council: the sentencing of a Forsaken. Servants! Bring the guilty forward!”  
Brought forward was a young man, slightly older than I was at the time. His arms and legs restrained with cuffs, making crisp, clanking sounds as he walked.  
Objectively, he was quite handsome, with golden hair, sky blue eyes, and a slim physique. He would have been a good candidate for an arranged marriage with me if he was a Blessed raised by a Council family.  
The judge pounded his gavel and commenced the trial.  
“The accused, Edward Duncan, is guilty of being a Forsaken, and also of utilising the forbidden art of magic in an attempt to fool the inspection. The evidence of such crimes have been revealed and revised by the Council, and I declared them Valid.”  
“The court has thus been gathered here, to determine the sentence of the guilty, Edward Duncan.”  
“However, before we commence, do the guilty have any defense?”  
Why, he needed no defense, he is guilty! I did not understand why they are letting a dirty Forsaken speak.  
“I am not guilty! I had known myself to be a Forsaken for more than three years, and for three years you could not tell that I was a Forsaken, so how dare you claim that you are superior when you couldn’t even tell what I was? You hypocrites!” I couldn’t stand any more of the Forsaken’s rambling for a moment longer. These Forsaken are lesser being who shouldn’t even be called human. I never understood why the Council never just execute these things but having them exiled instead.  
“Quiet, Forsaken! How dare you compare yourself with the holy blood that runs through my body. Your exile has been long overdue.” I looked at him with no pity in my eyes, only disgust and contempt.  
“You are as hypocritical as the rest of… mmph!” The Forsaken spoke again before I signaled the guards to silence him.  
“As the daughter of our leader, I thus sentence thee to exile from the Holy City of Axis!” I announced, followed by rounds of applauses from the Council members.  
I looked at his angry face as he was dragged away by the guards before turning to face my father.  
For once in my life, my father smiled at me to congratulate my achievement. It was not as though he never smiled, just never to me. I had felt like a disappointment to him for my whole life, but now, finally, I had impressed my father with my faith toward the Gods.  
_____  
Unbeknownst to me then, there was an audience in the stands who did not cheer his exile.  
Eventually, the seemingly endless series of events ended, there was only one thing left for me to do.  
The coming of age ceremony.  
It might sound rather intimidating, but in truth, all I had to do was to lie on an altar, and wait for a few moments to receive the Gods blessing.  
To put it more plainly, it was a ceremony to see whether I was fit to receive Gods blessing.  
Eventually, it became a symbolic gesture: especially amongst Council members, the chance of their offspring not being Blessed are close to zero. Moreover, in the hundreds of years since the city was established, not one person related to a leader turned out to be Forsaken.  
I lied on the cold stone altar and was quickly sedated, and slept peacefully immediately after.  
_____  
“…did you say?” I heard my father’s furious voice as I slowly regained consciousness. “You’ve made a mistake, perform it again. And the result had better be what I want.”  
“But sir, the results are clear, we cannot possibly…”  
“Are you disobeying me?”  
“No, sir, of course not.”  
And with that, the priest picked up the needle and plunged it back into my neck.  
“W… wait! What’s happening…”  
_____  
By the time I had woke up again, I was back in my own room, and the sky was already dark. I looked over to my clock and saw the time: 9:05.  
No, no, no! I’ve got to give a speech in 10 minutes! I rushed to the door, only to discover it was locked.  
Is this a joke?  
Never in my life have I been paralysed twice, and then locked inside my own room for no reason whatsoever.  
I had considered banging on the door and shouting ‘Help!’ into the corridor, but I knew it wouldn’t help. All the servants are in the dining hall serving the guests anyways, and considering my room is about a far as it would get from there, I doubt anyone would hear me.  
About half an hour later, the door finally opened, and from it, came my father.  
“Father, you’re finally here. I’ve been locked in here for more than half an hour!”  
He did not respond.  
His face was the palest I had ever seen, and his expression, disfigured. Quickly, he walked towards me.  
“Father? What’s…”  
Slap.  
Intense pain ran across my face like a thousand hot needles were stuck into it.  
“Father! What are you doing!” It most certainly wasn’t the first time I was hit by my father, but it was the most painful – he didn’t even try to hold back.  
“You stupid little bitch. Do you know how much trouble you’re causing me? I would kill you if it wouldn’t look bad in front of the Council!” His tone, even angrier than I last heard, genuinely scared me to death.  
“W… wait, father. W.. what did I do? I’ll.. I’ll fix it, I promise! Please, just don’t hit me anym…”  
“Quiet! You dirty Forsaken!”  
I was a Forsaken?  
But how? I worshipped the Gods every day of my life. How? Why would they forsake me?!  
As realization struck me, tears started rushing out of my eyes uncontrollably, dripping down onto the ground. My legs trembled so much it could no longer support me, I dropped to my knees in front of my father, sobbing pitifully.  
“If you expect me to show compassion to you like this, it won’t happen.” Following his cruel words was a kick to my ribcage.  
The pain was excruciating, and yet I could not scream, my throat seemed to have been blocked by tears. I was only able to let out a weak gasp.  
“I’ll lock your troublesome soul in this house for as long as I live, but be rest assured that I will not allow you to cause harm to my career.”  
I was frozen on the ground, stuck in the realisation that I was not Blessed.  
I lied on the cold, hard ground for a whole night, unmoving, and not knowing what would become of my life from then on.  
_____  
Ever since I was a child, I was taught to hate the Forsaken, for they are the sole threat to the security of Axis; I’ve learnt to hate the Forsaken, I despised them even more so than I despise those lecherous Councilmen. I thought at least the Councilmen has Axis’ best interest at heart, and I thought the Forsaken were heartless, irredeemable monsters who wouldn’t hesitate to destroy Axis if given the chance.  
Growing up, I’ve been taught to hate myself thoroughly for who I am.


	3. Chapter 3

For almost 3 years I was alone, inside the empty mansion. Most days, I would just stay in my chambre all day, pondering my worthless existence.  
Whenever I was hungry, I would always find food waiting outside my door. It was usually cold and hard to swallow, but I didn’t mind.  
Each bite of even the more distasteful food seemed wasted in my mouth – it would have been better if it were given to pets instead, wouldn’t it? After all, at least a pet would bring happiness to its owner, whereas in comparison, I would only bring them distress.  
I knew it would be better if I would just die; I don’t even know why my father hasn’t done it yet. But I was too cowardly and selfish, despite knowing my death would help to keep the stability of the Council and my father’s leadership, I was scared of going to Hell. Even though I had done nothing wrong in my whole life, I was still forsaken by the Gods.  
Selfishly, I thought no matter how bad my life in Medius is, it would be better than Hell.  
_____  
Three uneventful years have passed. Each day I was tortured by my mind, and each night, I was troubled by my dreams.  
On my 16th birthday, however, my life was changed again.  
And not for the better.  
_____  
‘In a dark dungeon, a man came towards me, knife in his hand. I tried to escape but found myself tightly bound to a chair. Smiling, he leaned onto me, and sank his knife into my stomach.  
I screamed but heard nothing came out of my mouth, slowly, helplessly, I felt my body torn open, blood gushing out from the wound.  
He removed his knife, only to raise it again to my face. His smile only grew wider as he sank his knife into my head.’  
_____  
Cold sweat covered my body, panting heavily, I opened my eyes; it was just a dream. My body seemed ill adjusted, for it was frozen for a moment, before I was able to move my limbs.  
I was never one to dream often. In truth, it was the second I remember having in my whole life, with the last one being exactly three years ago.  
The door to my room suddenly burst open, from it came a huge, iron-clad figure who stomped towards me. But after three years of being alone, I was unsure of how to respond. Is he here to torture me, kill me, even?   
Or, perhaps, to rescue me?  
A spark of hope was lit in my mind but was immediately put out as he roughly grabbed my arms and restrained me.  
“Hey! What are you…”  
Was all I was able to say before he gagged and blindfolded me as well.  
I didn’t try to struggle as I knew it would be futile; my frail body only worsened in the last three years, even a small child could probably overpower me.  
The bulky figure then led me through a despairingly long journey (in retrospect, perhaps not as long as I had made it out to be, but as I said, I was weaker than a nine years old then.) before sitting me down, and removing my gag.  
“Sir, I have brought her, as ordered.”  
“Very well, leave us.”  
Wait, his voice. I was sure I had heard it somewhere before, yet every one of my memories now seemed so distant.  
“Ms Erin, you were right that day, you really weren’t the perfect daughter I thought you were.”  
Something suddenly clicked in my mind. Surely not! Not him!  
“Well, with your shocked expression, I imagine you remembered who I am. I guess we don’t need the blindfold anymore now, do we?”  
…  
*Slap*  
“You WILL answer me when I ask a question, Forsaken brat! I couldn’t touch you when your father was still in power, but now I’ve removed him, and you turned out to be Forsaken, well…”  
*Slap*  
At that moment, my mind went blank. I couldn’t think about what was happening, it was too much for me to bear.  
Roughly, he grabbed me by my hair and thrown me onto a somewhat soft mattress. With my hand still bound behind my back and my eyes still covered, I could neither see what was happening nor resist against it.  
I was absolutely powerless.  
“Councilman Stane, this is enough.” Another familiar voice which I couldn’t seem to remember.  
“Come on, Councilman Gray, there’s no need to pretend to be a saint. You know as well as I that if you were in my position, you would be doing the exact same thing, if not worse. Oh, and it’s Leader now, not Councilman.”  
“I agree, it IS enough, Counc-, Leader Stane, we are still to determine what we would do about her. To be safe, I propose we execute her immediately, who knows what kind of knowledge she might have on us, not to mention being a Forsaken as well.”  
“Duncan, what is there to discuss?! I’ll just keep this girl here as my slave, and I’ll even let the two of you have her for a week or two after I’ve trained her. Oh, you’re not still mad about that son of yours, are you?”  
“This has nothing to do with…” The voice sounded shocked.  
“Duncan, you’re a smart man, I imagined you to be better than defying me. Or have you forgotten how I got here?”  
“Of course not, Leader Stane.”  
“Well? Leave us! I have businesses to get to.”  
There was footstep, and the sound of the door closing. Now, even without vision, I knew then, I was alone in a room with an old lecher who no longer has any more reasons for restraint.  
“What will you do to me?” I asked, as calmly as I could.  
“Nothing. Yet. You’re my slave now anyways, I have plenty of time. For today, I’ll be content with watching you. But when the time comes, I expect you to be completely obedient, or I’ll make sure you end up even worse than your father.” He removed my blindfold as he lifted my body up to a kneeling position on the bed.  
There was de jure no slavery in Axis, but there are loopholes; the law only applied to the people, not to me, a Forsaken, who have no rights at all. Unlike the Forsaken (Edward, was he called?) I sentenced to exile three years ago, I believed still the laws of Axis is fair and just; I would be seen as quite pretentious if I started opposing it now, wouldn’t I?  
“Yes, sir. You have the right to do anything you should wish with me.” He looked visibly pleased as b my response.  
What good would resisting do me anyway?  
_____  
Would it really be so bad to be his slave?  
I could finally be of use to somebody, even if I am doing it as a Forsaken, even if it’s to the man who killed my father, even if I would only be used as a tool to gratify a disgusting man’s sexual desires.  
Even the most disgusting, revolting, lecherous people is still superior to a Forsaken.  
Those were the thoughts which accompanied me as I went to sleep that night.  
_____  
About a week later, He was no longer satisfied with just watching me knelt down in front of him anymore.   
“Strip. Let me see that beautiful, lewd body of yours.” His drool seemed about to came out of his foul mouth  
“Yes, master.”  
It was embarrassing; my face had already flushed red by the time I removed my shirt. I didn’t want to put my body on display for such a disgusting man. Still, I am but a Forsaken, I have no choice.  
“Master, must I remove my underwear as well?” I asked him timidly, fearing my disobedience would incite violence from him.  
“Of course, dear Eve, how else would I inspect my ‘possession’?”  
By the time I’ve removed all my clothing, I could almost feel his lecherous gaze upon my body. It was revolting, of course.   
Still, it is my duty.  
“You’ve developed nicely since I last saw you three years ago, huh?”  
“Yes, master.”  
Considering my age, I would be seen as relatively well-endowed. Yet at the same time, I had secretly hoped I wasn’t born like this; it just seemed like a waste for a Forsaken to receive a good face and body.   
How cruel the Gods are.  
Before long, he started touching my body, running his rough hands over my skin, sometimes over my sensitive spots. I tried my best to keep quiet, but a few moans ended up leaving my lips nonetheless.   
“Ah… Ah… Please…”  
“Your moans are so cute, Eve-chan. I’ll reward you if you do a few more.”  
By that point, I had forgotten the meaning of one’s dignity. In truth, the reward had long become irrelevant, I would have done as he said regardless.  
…  
“Eve-chan, you did well today. As for your reward, well, you can wait and see.”  
_____  
The next morning, I woke up and found a box on the desk in my room. So this is the reward, huh? I opened the box, and in it, I found an unlocked metal collar and a letter.  
The collar was carefully crafted, with flowery patterns carved into it, I would imagine it took a designer quite a while to come up with this design (Praying could only get you exactly what you prayed for, so for jewelry and such, a good designer is necessary for the mental construction of such things so it may be possible.). The locking was rather intricate; connected by a hinge on the back, the two front halves open up to allow my head through. There was a hole in the front half which I assumed was used to connect to the chains.  
Then, I turned my attention to the letter.  
“Dear Eve,  
The reward is rather self-explanatory, you must wear the collar at all times to show you are my possession, and I am the only person able to remove it.  
I have businesses to attend to today, but I expect you to be wearing the collar by the time I see you tomorrow.  
Councilman Stane”  
I took the collar out of the box; it’s incredible weight caught me completely by surprise. Unable to adjust in time, it fell out of my hand, onto the floor.  
*Clank*  
NO!  
The mechanism locked shut, and I have no way of opening it up again.  
Shocked, I stood there, unable to move.  
What would I do? He’ll be furious, wouldn’t he?  
I picked up the collar and yanked on its sides, desperately trying to get it open. But I knew very well there was no chance for me to unlock it unless I had the key.  
*Clink*  
It, opened?


	4. Chapter 4

My master smirked as he saw me the next day, with his collar on my throat. Each day, he looked at me as if I was a delicious piece of meat waiting to be devoured.  
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice what you did with the collar, dear Eve?” His smirk turned cold, murderous even. “All acts of magic leaves signatures, even a trivial unlocking spell. I imagine you wouldn’t know, considering its only visible to the Blessed. Now, explain yourself, Eve, before I get angry with you.”  
“Master? But I… I’ve never used any magic.”  
I couldn’t have, right? How would I have been able to?  
“Eve, I am going give you one more chance since you behaved so well before. Explain yourself now, or I’ll have you hanged.”  
“But I really don’t know how to use magic!”   
My heart sunk as I saw his face became distorted with rage. “You’ve forgotten to call me ‘Master’, Eve.”  
“I… I’m sorry, master.”  
It only seemed to infuriate him more.  
“Guards? Take her away!”  
_____  
In a book I’ve read during my childhood, the concept of ‘Dungeon’ only existed as a mockery to the barbarism of the Forsaken outside Axis. I used to think: what kind of people would hurt their own kind so cruelly?  
Never have I thought I would end up in one of them, and one in Axis, no less.  
The guards roughly bound me to a unknown contraption; it looked like a large chair but there was various small devices attached to it. And though I did not know what they were, I was sure they were not designed to bring somebody pleasure.  
In the book, the protagonist, a Blessed girl, Althea, who somehow ended up outside of Axis, was hunted by the Forsaken. Eventually, she got lost in a dense swamp, and was soon captured.  
She was locked inside a dungeon, weirdly similar to mine.  
Meanwhile, Her lover inside the city risked his life and left Axis, despite everyone opposing him, with the hope of finding her again.  
The conclusion was rather self-evident; they lived happily ever after, of course.  
But I was no Blessed person, and there isn’t anyone to come to my rescue. Even the location was the direct opposite than that of the book. Continuing with this logic, I simply couldn’t think of a scenario where this would end up well for me.  
After some time, my master came in the dungeon, a cruel smile on his face.  
“Have you ever read ‘The story of Althea’? I remember it was quite popular amongst girls like you a few years back.”  
“Yes, master.”  
“Hehe, good. Doesn’t this place seem somewhat familiar?”  
“Yes, master.” Was the only answer I could have given.  
“Of course it does, the author had modelled the dungeon he was writing about on this one. After all, it’s the only one there is in the city.”  
If this dungeon was the only one any author has seen, then how would they know there were these things outside Axis?  
“Now I’ve never liked how he wrote about my dungeon in the end; what’s the bloody point if he’s just going to describe it without even using it?! Fortunately for me, I finally get to use it now, with a cute one like you, no less.”  
Smiling, he turned on the contraption above my abdomen.  
“Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”  
An unbearable pain burst through me, I could feel the contraption breaking my skin, and slowly tearing open my body.  
“No! Stop, please!!”  
But hearing me plead only seemed to excite him even more; he unsheathed a dagger he carried, and without hesitation, stabbed me on exactly the parts where the contraption had broken.  
“Ahhh…”  
My vision slowly became blurred, and my screams soon became quiet. The last thing I had heard before the darkness consumed me entirely was his cruel laughter.  
_____  
I woke up in the same hell I was in just moments ago, still bound to the contraption, yet I could no longer feel the pain in my abdomen anymore. I looked down to my stomach, only to see the wound already healed, without a scar.  
I sighed in relief, I really thought for a moment that I was going to die.  
“Dear Eve, you’ve finally woken up. For a moment there I thought I was going to have to continue with you unconscious, but then I wouldn’t be able to hear your cute screams, would I?”  
“No, master. You were right to wait for your slave to wake up.”  
Fearing to incite his rage, my mouth moved instinctively, betraying my heart.  
It most definitely would have been better if he had done the torturing while I was unconscious.  
“Do you know what the most essential thing is in surviving the politics of the Council?”  
“No, master.”  
“The ability to see through one’s lies.”  
“That’s why it confused me a great deal when you said you didn’t use magic, since somehow, you aren’t lying. I’ll ask another question then: How did you use magic without knowing it?”  
“I don’t know, master.”  
There was no need to lie, he’ll see straight through it anyways.  
*Knock*  
“Urgh… Come in.”  
It was Councilman Duncan.  
“Leader Stane, we have matters to discuss, privately, if possible.”  
“We are private enough, don’t you think? Or did you expect dear little Eve here to waltz out and tell everyone?”  
“Fine. In which case, the Forsakens seemed to be amassing troops not far outside of Axis, I propose we prepare for an invasion to come.”  
“Ha… Haha… Oh, Duncan, Duncan… You seriously believe they are a threat to us? We could construct all the weapons, armours we need instantly, what’s the point? It been three years already, but you still haven’t got over that, have you? I need you fully concentrated in internal politics, not worrying about things that doesn’t exist.”  
“But leader, how would you explain the troops?” He seemed desperate for my master to accept his idea.  
“You might be unfamiliar with this concept, but apparently, the Forsaken take part in an activity called ‘War’ every now and then. They starts to amass troops in the hopes of killing each other. I assure you, Duncan, nothing will come of this.” He leaned back on his chair and started working a small contraption by his desk. “And I really think you could use a break about now. What do you if I lend you Eve here to play with for a couple of days? Just don’t break her, will you?”  
I hoped he would say yes, anything was better than keep taking Stane’s torture.  
“Of course not, Leader Stane. I don’t have the inclination to keep a sub-human as pet.” His expression became distorted as he uttered those words.  
“Suit yourself. Now leave us, or stay and enjoy the entertainment.”  
“In that case, I shall take my leave, Leader Stane.”  
He hurriedly left the room, a unconvinced expression on his face.  
In truth, I agreed with Councilman Duncan; the threat of the Forsakens should not be taken lightly, despite being a Forsaken myself, I believed that my race is barbaric, uneducated, and should be eliminated by the Council. My master was kind enough to keep me, but when the time eventually comes, I know, and accepts the fact that he must kill me.  
My fate was long but sealed.  
He turned his chair to face me again, flickering a dagger between his hands, he said.  
“Shall we start off where we were interrupted?”  
“Yes, master.”  
He walked up to me, stopping only when he was inches from my face. His broad, intimidating figure almost completely blocked out the dim candlelight emanating from behind, and I could feel his hot breath upon my face.  
“That beautiful face of yours looks delicious, lets carve it up, shall we?”  
I had long but accepted my situation, and did not even try to resist.  
“Yes, master.”  
He brought his dagger up, level with my face. For a moment, my reflection was clearly visible from the blade.  
In the reflection, I saw my empty eyes, staring into oblivion, the spirit it once had were long but gone. The person staring back at me was a mere shell of who I was, three years ago.  
A sharp pain ran through my cheek, but comparing with the pain I have just gone through, it was close to nothing.  
My master had carved on my face some more before seemingly losing interest, by then, my face was covered in red, yet I felt nothing; no pain, no sadness, no despair, even.  
He puts down his dagger and left the room, leaving me alone in his torture chambre, blood gushing down my face. Still, I didn’t have to take the pain for too long; I fainted due to blood loss just moments later.  
_____  
I was back in my room when I had finally woken up, my face had all but healed, without a scar.   
You might ponder the purpose of his torture yesterday, to get me to admit I used magic?   
No, there wasn’t.   
I might be broken and weak, but I wasn’t stupid. He merely used my magical proficiency as an excuse to perform more extreme acts on me. Frankly, he really didn’t have to bother.  
It’s not like he has the ability to do anything about my magic without inviting experts from outside Axis, which betrays the point of keeping me here – for no one else to find out about my existence except the Council.  
Gods know what kind of panic it will generate in the city if words got out that the daughter of their former Leader was Forsaken.


	5. Chapter 5

It’s been three months since I became his slave, and I have long but accepted this existence – as a plaything, and an outlet for his sadistic desires.  
Once in a while some random Councilman would come in during our ‘sessions’ and talk about various problems they faced, and most of the time, my master would simply dismiss it, much to the Councilman’s dismay. Other times he ends up deep in thought, before carefully instructing the Councilman in approaching the problem. He was rather diligent.  
The Councilmen had soon got used to the presence of myself in their conversation, since I would just be knelt there without a word the whole time, like his pet.   
No, as his pet.  
Despite his harsh treatments in some of the more painful ‘sessions’, I soon started to see his gentle side; he would always treat me with such care after I got hurt, and often, I could feel his warm hands stroking me, comforting me. No matter how bad the pain, it seemed to alleviate as soon as he started to touch me gently.  
Most ‘sessions’ with him were far more gentle; sometimes, he would want me to just kneel beside him while he works, and seeing him work so contently would bring a smile to my face; other times, he would fondle with my body as if I was a doll, but despite it being embarrassing at first, I soon found it to have felt quite good as well. He was quite skilled in this aspect, paired with his soft, gentle hands, and it was more than pleasurable.  
I’ve soon discovered he loved petting me, sometimes my head, others my back or my stomach. In his hands, I was like a little pet kitty. Once, he even allowed me to sleep on his lap since I dozed off from his gentle petting. I thought he was going to punish me for it, but instead, he just smiled at me and carried me back to my room. That was the first time he smiled genuinely at me, and I could almost feel its warmth and radiance. That smile made my heart flutter for the rest of that day.  
Like a pet, I soon got attached to my master, loved him even. Loved his kind words, loved his gentle pets and touches, and loved his genuine smile.  
Unlike a pet, I knew he wouldn’t love me back, nor did I want him to. I was a Forsaken, and He was Blessed. To him, I would always be a nothing more than a slave. No, I MUST always be nothing more than a slave, even if it would shatter even more my already broken heart.  
Deep down, I was starting to be grateful that the Gods made me out to be a Forsaken. I wouldn’t have been his slave otherwise, and I DO NOT want to lose my love for him.  
He soon became the only reason left for me to live.  
_____  
I didn’t know how I was able to love him. Not with what he did to me.  
All my reason was compelling me to hate this man, a disgusting, lecherous paedophile, who did all those horrible things to me; torturing me, shaming me, insulting me…  
But it would be fine if he only does those things to me, right? I’m not human like him. Forsaken by the Gods, it was already my greatest honour to be able even to see him. How could I hate him?  
I couldn’t, no matter how hard I tried.  
So why not love him instead?


	6. Chapter 6

‘Heat.  
Flames.  
Explosions.  
Screams.  
They were everywhere.  
People ran as fast as they could from explosions coming from the sky. Giant, bird-like creatures flew in formation above us, fire spewing from their head, and dark spheres dropping from their wings.  
I saw a little boy running towards me, a teddy bear in his hands, soot covered almost all his body, only his eyes, his terrified eyes and the tears running down from it reflected the fire everywhere.   
Just less than ten metres away, a sphere hit the ground next to him.  
*Boom*  
I stared helplessly as he was consumed by flames before a shockwave sent me flying as well. Luckily, I landed on something soft, considering the force of that shockwave, I would have died otherwise.  
I turned around, but greeted me was the most horrid sight I had ever seen: An unrecognisable pile of flesh and blood that used to be a person. Almost Immediately, I averted my eyes.  
If I was given a choice again, I would have kept staring at the dead body. What I had seen instead was… beyond comprehension.  
From the Council palace, thick, dark grey smoke billowed up the skies. The pale blue now shielded by a dark veil, like a black streak of paint drawn unto a transparent canvas, without care. Shortly after, fire fiercely spread, over rows and rows of house, it spread, engulfing all that is in its way; sparing nothing. The desperate screams of the people within the palace could be heard for afar, but no one will come to their rescue. More spheres fell from the sky, causing a renewed round of explosions. The palace finally fell.  
The devilish flame raged on, melting the stones from the palace walls. For hours, it burned, only receded by the lack of materials to fuel its frenzy.  
All there was left were the char of burnt houses and the collapsing walls nearby.  
Soldiers soon flooded in from everywhere, in their hand, held some wand-like weapon. Their commander calmly commanded his troops to clear up the battlefield, killing anyone they saw were still living.   
They soon discovered me; I didn’t even try to hide. The soldier raised his weapon and pointed it at me.  
The next thing I knew, I was already lying on the ground, sharp pain through my chest.  
A calendar was still on a desk not far away, and the date?   
Just two weeks from now.’  
_____  
I was covered in cold sweat, and my breath, heavy. I tried to sit up but found myself unable to move, paralysed. I used all my strength to open my eyes and saw the familiar ceiling of my room. I let out a sigh of relief; it was just a dream.  
It took me more than half an hour to be able to move again.  
Strange, I dreamt again in just a quarter of a year.  
On my desk there was a hot cup of tea, it was quite delicious. My master started having tea sent to my room every morning just a month before, rather considerately. It was the best thing I had the chance to drink in more than three years, after all.  
He became far kinder for the last months as well; I couldn’t even remember the last time he tortured me. My ‘sessions’ with him also seemed to be gentler as well. Weirdly, he even stopped letting me do heavy chores anymore, I knew I was weak, but I still would be able to handle those things. I wondered why he changed so suddenly.   
Perhaps he had started to return my feelings for him? No! I mustn’t think like that! He would never…  
Was he becoming bored of me so he won’t torture me anymore?  
_____  
I found myself getting weaker and weaker these days, my head almost always ached, and my legs trembled whenever I stood up, almost unable to support my weight anymore. I was grateful for my master to stop most of my work; he probably noticed these signs as well. But no matter what I tried, my symptoms worsened.  
Only three days later, I finally collapsed during one of our ‘sessions’, when he asked me to stand next to him while he works. I tried my best to keep going, but my legs give out by the third hour, I collapsed onto the ground, not knowing what happened afterwards.  
The same happened the next day and the next. I couldn’t even serve my master well anymore. My useless body wouldn’t listen to my command, rendering myself to be a stupid lump of meat stuck in my bed.  
I troubled him again.  
But instead of disciplining me, he allowed me to rest for the remainder of that week.  
How could he be kind, despite my weakness? I became useless to him, and yet he did not abandon me.  
It was that day I finally broke, I could no longer face myself.   
I was a burden to everyone, first to my father, and now my master.  
_____  
“Please, master, it’s time you had thrown me away.”  
He looked surprised by this when it finally came up the next time we spoke.  
“Not just yet, Eve. You could still be of use to me.” Smiling, he turned to me after I had just asked him to kill me. “Tell me about your last dream.”  
Despite all this, he still wants me here?  
“Yes, master. But it was a nightmare.”  
“Speak.”  
I gulped, not wanting to think back to that horrific dream.  
“I… I dreamt of Axis being destroyed, and… and… almost everyone was killed.”  
“By whom?”  
“By the Forsakens, master.”  
“When?”  
“In a week, master.”  
In response, he simply smiled and turned away.  
“Master, why did you ask these questions about a mere dream?”  
“Just curious.” He said without a backward glance. “You may leave now.”  
“Yes, master.”  
As I exited my master’s room, I saw Councilman Duncan hurriedly walked towards the room I had just left, a furious expression on his face. Without even knocking, he charged in my master’s room.  
As I kept walking, I heard parts of their argument.  
“I have told you, again and again, that this was bound to happen. And did you listen? Did you? Just look at where you’ve gotten us now.”  
“Calm down, Councilman. They still don’t know of our defenses, and I assure you, it is impenetrable.”  
“We don’t know when they’re going to…”  
The sound soon became muffled as I walked further and further away.  
_____  
Axis was infallible.  
I have been taught so since I was a child. Axis had an impenetrable shield that, in essence, stops anyone from entering the premises and kills anyone harbouring ill intent for Axis in its vicinity, thus providing the ultimate defenses. It was a gift from the Gods when the city was first established.  
I didn’t know then who the enemy was, only that they were dangerous enough to cause concerns to the Council; was it the Forsakens? Surely not. They were just a bunch of barbarians who still hunts and farms to maintain their own worthless lives.  
Then it had to be the demons. From the other side of Medius, they were the most feared creatures outside Axis. Thus far, no demon dared venture to Axis; it was too close to the Gods.   
Well, I shouldn’t concern myself too much with this; I was just a slave. It’s not like me knowing anything would change the outcome of this invasion, should it occur.  
_____  
The next few days had been eerily calm, and my master had completely stopped summoning me and locked me in my room. Often, I would look out of the window to pass the time; there was nothing better for me to do anyways.  
Maybe it was just my emotions playing tricks at me, but the things I see every day and night; the people outside walking and chatting to their friends, carriages moving through the streets, now just seemed like the calm before a most vicious storm.


	7. Chapter 7

By the end of that week, my master had summoned me again to his chambres, and everything seemed to be gradually returning to normal (I wasn’t sure whether it had been irregular in the first place, but it just seemed that way to me somehow.).  
As expected, in the middle of our session, someone burst through my master’s doors again. It was Councilman Gray.  
“The shield is down.”  
My master’s calm demeanor changed in an instant to shock, and somehow, there was fear as well. I had never seen my master fearing anything before.  
“What? Who did it?”  
“Duncan.”  
“Tell the guards to go there right away, and get the bloody shield up again. I am going to kill that bastard.”  
“Sir, all the guards were called away to the edge of the city, none of them could get to the Centre.”  
“What? Did I not SPECIFICALLY instruct you to keep some guards by the centre?”  
“Sir, but Councilman Duncan…”  
“Duncan… You two, with me, NOW.”  
For the first time, there was genuine fear in his words.  
_____  
I ran behind my master and Councilman Grey, and soon, we were outside the palace. It was raining heavily outside, but I was secretly rejoicing in my mind. It was the first time I got out of the palace in more than three years.  
We soon arrived in a large obelisk, almost 50 floors high, as per my visual estimation. It stood contrastingly to the lower structures surrounding it.  
Entering the obelisk, there was nothing in sight except a large altar in its centre, and a man standing next to it.  
Councilman Duncan.  
“Are you mad, Duncan? I’ll have you executed for this.”  
“You know, you had been right from the beginning. I had never got over my son three years ago. I must thank you though, you’ve brought exactly the girl I wanted.”  
Me?  
Why does he want revenge with me?  
“Stand down, Councilman Duncan. Or I will be forced to kill you.” Gray unsheathed his sword.  
*Bang*  
Before falling to the ground, blood spurting from his chest.  
In his murderer’s hands held the same, wand-like weapon I had seen in my dream.  
But how could he use magic? He wasn’t Forsaken. All the Councilmen were supposed to be tested every year; it would be impossible for him to fool every single one.  
“You must be confused as to how I can use magic. Huh... they are right, all these gadgets do seem like magic.” He pointed the weapon towards my master. “Now, your turn.”  
I stood in front of my master, trying to protect him from Duncan’s witchcraft. If my master had died, I would have had no reason to live.  
Duncan chuckled.  
“Ha… You have trained her well. But since I don’t want to kill her… Eve, be a good girl, move away, and I won’t hurt you.”  
“Never. I will not abandon my master.” I was determined to protect my master even if it would cost me my life.  
“Do you want to protect that man? The man who rapes and tortures you? Hehe… Do you even know why your body was so weak in the last month?”  
“I…”  
“You have permanent anaemia because of him. He tortured you every day for the last month, every single day, I had to go into his dungeon to see him. And do you know what I see him doing to you? He cut you open and healing you just before you die. He may be able to put you back together without scars, but he can’t put the blood you had lost back into your body.”  
“It’s… It’s not true, h… he never did those things to me, you liar!”  
“He was even proud enough to tell me about the tea he sends to your room every day that wipes your painful memories. Do you still think I was wrong?”  
“Even… Even if that’s true, he had every right to do those things to me.”  
It doesn’t matter. I would always be his slave.  
“Haha… you’ve broken her, haven’t you, Stane? Well, before you die, you still got to tell me, how did you know it was today?”  
“I don’t think you could kill me after what I am about to tell you.”  
“…Indulge me.”  
“Eve here is a sorceress, you know?”  
There was a slight pause.  
“If she were a sorceress capable even to do prophetic magic, I would already be dead.” He looked at me in contempt. “Please, if you’re going to lie, at least lie better than this.”  
“I’m not lying. It worked, didn’t it?”  
“So you’re telling me that she’s a sorceress who can inherently do this kind of magic.”  
“How else would you explain that huge magical signature two weeks ago while she was asleep.”  
Duncan seemed amused.  
“Oh, if that case, give her to me, and I’ll consider giving you a quick death.”  
“Or, I leave here alive, in exchange for not killing her right now.”  
I felt the cold, hard edge of a knife against my throat. It was this moment my irrational fear of death returned; I didn’t want to die.  
Somehow, both my master’s life and mine depended solely on my value to a traitor.  
A few excruciating seconds later, Duncan put down his weapon.  
“Leave.”  
I sighed as the knife’s edge left my throat before hearing my master running from here.  
“How stupid of him. Did he think he’ll survive outside? Well, soon, the only thing left standing in this city would be the obelisk we’re in now.”  
_____  
*Boom*  
A distant explosion shook the ground, causing me to nearly fell over, but before I could adjust, another shock destroyed my balance. I was knocked onto the floor (to re-iterate, I still haven’t recovered from my anaemia, so I was even weaker than I was three months ago).  
“Finally, Axis will fall.”  
No, I-I will not accept this. If only I could… do something… But how? How could I, a weak, Forsaken slave, change what’s about to happen?  
The hope was so slim that it might as well have been non-existent.  
“It will NOT!”  
Whilst Duncan was distracted, I charged at him with all the strength I had left. And before he could raise his weapon again, my shoulder crashed into his abdomen, tackling him onto the ground. His skull touched the ground first. I had heard something crack before seeing him went into unconsciousness.  
I walked before the altar, seeing only a hand-shaped dent in the centre, along with the date of that day inscribed on its side. The situation seemed familiar somehow. I did not know whether some other ritual was necessary for the shield’s activation, but even if that was the case, there was nothing I could do. I doubted whether a Forsaken could even use something made by the Gods, but the sounds of footsteps outside the obelisk almost immediately overshadowed any doubt I had: they could only be the enemy soldiers coming for me.  
Unwavering, I put my left hand on the dent of the altar, and as I did so, a beam of heavenly light was shown from heaven, through the tip of the tall obelisk, to the centre of the large hall: the altar. The light emanated outwards immediately, slowly at first, before suddenly covering the whole of the obelisk.  
The explosions continued outside, and so did the screams of the innocents before their deaths.  
Soldiers rushed into the obelisk, but before they could even raise them, the holy light had started taking effect, turning them into dust.  
The explosions soon stopped, yet the screams did not. Now, the guilty screamed, screamed for their life. But what use is there? A debt of life must be paid with life, as they crumbled into ash before me, just as they had no pity in their eyes as they murdered the innocents of the city, I had none in mine.  
Eventually, everything was silent.  
As the adrenaline started to dissipate, the intense pain on my right shoulder started to emerge; It was then I realised that the *crack* I heard was from my shoulder, from my collision with the treacherous Councilman behind me.  
Thank the Gods, I thought to myself, who would have known such a horrible plan would work, it was full of defects: What if Duncan hadn’t fallen unconscious? What if just putting my hand on the altar wasn’t enough to activate it? What if a forsaken like me wasn’t able to use it?  
But my gamble did pay off. Even if it’s only a millionth of chance, I would have taken it. Despite my dislike to it, Axis was my master’s home, and as his slave, it was my duty to protect what he cared for.  
I wasn’t going to let fate dictate me anymore as I had done for the entirety of my life.  
I did not know then, but disobeying fate had its consequences, severe ones, for it was none but the Gods who dictated fate.  
Red blood stained the front of my pure white dress. Sharp pain emanated from my chest. I fell backwards, landing harshly onto the cold marble floor.  
“You have changed nothing. Thousands of troops are still waiting outside the city, waiting for the shield to drop. All you have done is making things worse for yourselves: do you think they would be more lenient after seeing all their comrades killed?”  
He stood in front of me, weapon in his hand.  
“Gaa… ngh…”  
I tried to speak, but fresh blood blocked my throat.  
“Don’t worry; you won’t die from this. I made sure not to shoot anything vital. After all, I still have to punish you for exiling my son.”  
Despair washed over me, fear, as well. But soon, I could feel neither anymore.  
I welcomed the blackness that enveloped me.  
_____

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my first works, please comment if you liked it or not.  
> All kinds of comments are welcome, I would love to improve from them!


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